Under a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) response request the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has tasked the Naval Sea System Command, Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), US Navy, with providing temporary pumping capability to Puerto Rico for the hurricane season. The pumping assets are intended to augment existing stormater pumping stations whose capability is reduced due to previous storm damage. Utilizing an existing Salvage Services contract, SUPSALV has issued a Delivery Order to Donjon Marine (Donjon) to provide necessary pumps and operators.
Donjon has identified and mobilized pumps from two premiere pumping contractors, Rain for Rent (RFR) and United Pump Rentals (United) and installation teams from Donjon, RFR, and United were also mobilized.
Beginning the week of 20 June, SUPSALV’s team of pumping contractors began assembling pumps, fuel tanks, pipe, CONEX boxes in Morgan City, LA. A total of 123 truckloads of material were delivered and loaded onto a 100’ X 400’ barge for transport to Puerto Rico.
On 2 July, after a 9 day transit to San Juan, the barge was offloaded and the installation teams began delivery and installation of pumps to the highest priority pump stations. With heavy rain in the forecast, the teams focused on getting some pumping capacity operational at pumping stations Malaria, Baldorioty, and Parada 18, all of which are in San Juan city.
Hurricane Beryl was the weather event bringing heavy rain. After herculean effort by the installation teams, the following pumping capacity was functional by July 8th.
Parada 18: 3 pumps, approx. 50,000 gpm
Malaria: 4 pumps, approx. 100,000 gpm
Baldorioty: 1 pump, approx. 10,000 gpm
On July 11, after running the pumps as needed to prevent flooding conditions during the passage ofHurricane Beryl, the teams shifted back to their installation task and are tackling the remaining pump stations. A total of 10 pump stations will be configured, with a capacity of more than 550,000 GPM.
This team will complete their installation task and crews will stand by to man the pumps over the course of the hurricane season. This effort allows Puerto Rico government to maintain and improve their installed systems and gives local citizens peace of mind knowing a fully functional backup system is available if additional tropical storms deliver heavy rain.